Hermione Granger: Switching Sexes
by Oceans Phoenix
Summary: When Hermione Granger takes a seemingly irreversable potion to turn herself into a boy she has no choice but to enroll as a boy student. Can a girl in a boys body go by unnoticed? SUSPENDED
1. The Infernal Potion

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry potter related characters or any other creations of Rowling. No infringement intended. No money being made.  
  
Ok well Hi. You may call me MP, for that is the name everyone on the Harry Potter boards knows me as. I decided to start something a little less sensible than my usual fanfiction, and so this is it.  
  
It does have a mature rating due to its adult theme. There is no excessive violence and as of yet it is undecided whether there will be any scenes of a sexual nature.  
  
This is set in the sixth year, although it doesn't primarily focus around Harry and his struggle against the dark lord. This is a romance and so if you are looking for the sort of thing J.K.Rowling would write you have come to the wrong place.  
  
Other than that I hope you Enjoy and Review.  
  
Hermione sat on the floor with her legs crossed, The carpet was scratchy and mildly irritating to the skin for all but Hermione, who had spent hundreds of days over the years in that particular spot, until she had built up a resistance to it. Her eyes dancing over the pages of the book as she checked for the tenth time today that the potion had been done correctly. The image of these two pages that she had been slaving over for the last three weeks were burnt into her mind. Every time she closed her eyes they drifted into her vision, as though etched into her eyelids.  
  
Fifty two and nine fourths...Yes...She had stirred it the right number of times. Seventy two degrees, except on Wednesdays... Yes... She had heated it to the right temperature. Exactly nines and twenty past the hour of lunch... She had added the Chimera essence at the right time of day. She had added exactly the right amount of everything else and as the Chimera essence glooped in with a satisfying "glurp" it turned the glowing lavender colour that indicated everything had gone right. This was the most complicated potion yet, and the fact it was illegal only added excitement to it. At true midnight the potion would be complete, with one final ingredient.  
  
It was mid august and Hermione was sat in her bedroom. Normally she would have been reading several times through all her books. This year however marked the start of a new life, in her eyes at least. She would be starting her Newt course! Only doing seven subjects this year instead of the round eleven, meant more free time. Having read the few books she required for the sixteenth time through, she sought a new challenge. The Potions book was really something else though. It described potions beyond wonderment. Things that definitely shouldn't be shown to the younger students, and such amazements as to actually make Ron contemplate taking the course. They were difficult beyond anything Neville, or most wizards, could do. It was just the sort of thing the sixteen year old which loved to do.  
  
With the damn ministry always getting in the way, flashing underage decree's and threats of expulsion it was a wonder she got all Outstanding's. She would as usual, have to make up for lost time once she got back to Hogwarts with her friends. Her wand lay untouched on her pine bedside table, gathering particles of dust that were brave enough to risk contact with the magical device. Instead Hermione, after a lot of investigation found that whilst the ministry monitored all the wands of underage witches and wizards, they had no control over the brewing of potions. It was illegal certainly, but what they didn't know wouldn't hurt them.  
  
It was in the form of the simmering concoction in the cauldron that sat in front of her that she stemmed her creative mind and made it just about bearable to not do magic. She slumped her head back in boredom against the giant teddy bear that sat in the corner of her room, and made an ideal makeshift chair. It was rather fluffy. Several hours she would have to wait until the moon reached its pinnacle and true twilight dawned for a fraction of a second before subsiding like a crashing wave. Once the final ingredient had been added the potion would be complete, and Hermione knew that if she could do this then she could do anything.  
  
She pulled herself up form the position where she had been sitting for the last hour, and her knees gave a painful crack and she gave a long overdue stretch of her legs which had been crossed and were starting to go numb. She walked over to her tidy bed and noticed looked at Hedwig who had swooped in a few minutes ago, and had politely agreed, in owl terms, to wait until she had finished what she was doing before giving her the letter.  
  
"What Have you got for me today?" she asked as she untied the letter that was bound to Wedwig's leg. She knew before she asked. She had received several letters over the holidays form Harry and unless someone had stolen Hedwig for their own mail delivery then this was another. As she looked down at the squarish writing scratched down with a quill she immediately recognised it as Harry's hand writing.  
  
It wasn't that she had an awful lot to say to Harry. In fact it was quite the opposite. She had nothing to tell him. She was as clueless about Voldemort as he was, having not yet gone to Grimauld Place. The reason she often found herself sitting in the afternoon writing to Harry was because of Dumbledore. He has approached her and Ron at the end of term and asked them kindly if they would mind keeping in touch with Harry. Ron seemed a bit puzzled why, but Hermione who wasn't as thick as clotted cream, explained to Ron that with the loss of Sirius Harry was bound to be upset. The last thing she wanted was for Harry to do something stupid.  
  
She carefully tore open the letter and began to scan it. The contents was pretty similar to what he usually said.  
  
Hi Hermione  
Thanks for the letter; it is nice to hear from you and Ron so much. Are you feeling at all nervous about things because at the moment I'm just sitting here twiddling my thumbs and doing lots of revising as you suggested. I don't know why but something tells me that I'm going to meet up with Voldemort again, and I have decided that this time I want to be ready to protect you guys. I don't know what I would do if something happened to either of you.  
  
Our poor furry friend wrote to tell me that they will be picking me up on Monday to take me back home. I assume your going aren't you? If your parents say that they won't let you tell them that you will fail your exams and you won't love them.  
  
I know what it feels to be Sirius now... I haven't left my house in six weeks. I think my legs are starting to turn to jelly. I don't know how he managed to stay there for six months. I suppose having your best friend around must help but even I don't think I would find it fun spending 6 months playing wizard chess and loosing against Ron.  
  
Anyway see you soon. If you find out anything I don't know please owl me straight away. I am always home...  
Harry.  
  
Hermione smiled inwardly to herself. She always liked that he took the time to write to her. How he took probably the same care not to splash ink onto its creamy surface. Of course she knew that he replied partly through the fact that he had nothing better to do, but she preferred to ignore that part. It was good to hear that he was still revising, or at least pretending to revise. He probably knew it was better to lie to her and have so peace and quiet, rather than fending off the ten owls a day she would send otherwise. Still, if there was one thing that could make him actually do the learning then the death of his godfather was it. Watching Sirius been killed had hurt Harry. It had hurt them all of course, but Harry would be blaming himself. Thinking he was responsible. The worst part was that in a strange way he was right.  
  
She placed the parchment down on her desk in between two mountains of books which blocked out two strips of summer evening sunlight from coming into the room. She glanced over at Hedwig who has taking a drink from the bowl of water she kept filled up in the corner of the room for tired owls to drink from. Hedwig didn't seem particularly concerned of what Hermione was doing which showed that Harry hadn't told her he wanted a prompt response.  
  
"You can stay here for a bit." She said as the bird looked up slightly and gave a long stare such as to say yes, before turning back to the water.  
  
She would have to think up some more stories to tell Harry. Dull ones. By making her life sound incredibly dull she hoped that Harry would think his excuse for a summer would seem better than it really was. Indeed it seemed to work as Harry often wrote with only slightly interesting stories such as how he burned the bacon and it made Dudley cry.  
  
"Well looks like you have a job to do Hermione." She said to herself as she cast once last anxious glance at the potion next to the big bear. If staring would have speeded things up now Hermione probably would have gone blind from straining her eyes. Her parents would be home form work soon and they would start dinner. She probably had about an hour before she sat down at the table to eat. Still she liked to help out and spend time with her parents, even if it was doing boring things like peeling the potatoes. She only got to see them for a month or so every year and then she was whisked back off into the magical world.  
  
Her life for the past five years seemed to have run like this, and she could practically recall the years like photo frames. Not seeing your parents for a year you really noticed things. Like dad's hair going greyer, and mum with her wrinkles by her eyes. Hermione loved her parents and through her limited time together with them each year she had come to appreciate them more than she used to. Sometimes she wasn't sure if Harry realised this. If he did know that she would sulk at the thought of leaving so soon. Of course he didn't but if he did then he wouldn't be Harry Potter, she said to herself with a small smile.  
  
As long as he was there it was worth missing her parents. Being with Ron was fun in its own exhausting tiresome sense, and yet they always seemed to get into an argument over something which was completely his own fault. He always seemed to be laughing at her a bit. Harry didn't seem like that. Whilst he never told Ron off, she could somehow tell that he wasn't thinking bad things. It was like an unspoken peace between them. Probably the same kind between all good friends.  
  
Later on Hermione would have to set up some elaborate equipment used for measuring twilight. According to the book this was one of the most important parts. It was only at full moon could the distant light from mars reflects off of the moon and give the correct astromagnetic balance. As Hermione sat down in the living room flicking through the tv channels, before stopping to watch the second half of count down, she asked herself something. "What will it be like to use the potion?" Well according to the book, or at least the lack of horrific diagrams, it was painless. Turning into a boy for a day. Now that was something. Spending all the time she did with Harry and Ron, she had once or twice wondered if she really had been intended a girl. Still she was very happy with things the way they were. Girls were fine and dandy in her eyes. A boy however... Well they always seemed to have this thing about looking several inches below your chin when they talk, and they always got exhausted and complained after going in a few shops.  
  
She just wanted to try it for a day. See what she would look like; see how it felt to go round town as a boy. Do some of those things that boys apparently do, like have discussions about football and eat with their mouth open. She had even taken the liberty to pick out a set of nice boy clothes to wear. Heaven forbid she might be a boy, but she wasn't going to be the kind that walks round with a skirt on. Mind you, the Scottish seem to enjoy it. Maybe afterwards she would give the clothes to Harry. His looked as if they had been pried from a dog's mouth. She had gotten them in several sizes larger than she was, because as a boy she was bound to be several inches taller. The clothes in question were a pair of mens trousers, with the extra material at the front for... hem, stuff. A large white t-shirt with stripes running down it. Wow, she could imagine it would be great. The feeling of freedom. Not having things confine you. It would be like being naked only respectable.  
  
She didn't need to buy any shoes because she already had some scruffy trainers; messy things seemed to be the fashion with boys. She hoped they fit otherwise she would have to pinch a pair of her fathers. This left one important detail. Of course the answer was boxer shorts. How could you live life as a boy without going all the way? It was every young boys dream. The day when he would finally upgrade from pants. At the moment she couldn't see what was so great about them, but she figured if they use that much extra material to make them then there must be something pretty amazing.  
  
She could have tried to wearing them anytime, but of course this is Hermione Granger, and she isn't the kind of girl. The Only obstacle that now seemed to remain was her parents. It was going to be a tough subject to broach and of course she could see why. She had to try and say it without sounding weird. Surely she wasn't the only one who had ever wondered what it would be like to be as different as can be. To be the opposite gender. I mean someone a long time ago obviously took the time to create the potion. Her parents were always very cautious of magical things. Since they were dentists they were very sensible thinkers, and magic was far from sensible. It was about as insensible as boys, if that was possible.  
  
A sound from the front door symbolised that her parents were home. She heard brief discussion before they walked into the living room where she was sat.  
  
"Hello honey. What have you been up to? Lots of reading no doubt?" asked Michael Granger as he beamed at her proudly.  
  
"Um yes daddy, some." Hermione responded as she turned the television off and turned to her parents. The conversation that would have to happen sooner or later wasn't going to be an easy one. She had been putting some thought into it, and whilst she would rather not explain wanting to be a boy for a day, it was better than doing it and having them find out later.  
  
"Um, there is something I need to tell you two." Hermione said as she took a deep breath and got up from the chair. Her father displayed a slightly worried look as did her mother.  
  
"You're not pregnant are you?" he asked sternly as he surveyed her carefully, almost expecting to see a bulge under her jumper. Hermione's eyes widened in shock.  
  
"Dad! I can't believe you would say something like that. I'm only sixteen. Don't you trust me?" she asked slightly hurt. Michael was always very protective over his daughter.  
  
"It's not that I don't trust you. It's just that I don't trust boys. I know what they are like when they are your age and I know that they only have one thing on their mind. They have a way with words." He said as though speaking form personal experience.  
  
"NO. I told you that daddy." Hermione said as she stamped her foot. Her mother who had been quiet up until now turned to Michael.  
  
"You need to give Hermione credit. She isn't the sort of girl to get into trouble. She is smarter than you give her credit for." Hermione who knew her parents too well, pressed on with the topic. She knew that if they got sidetracked then it would take forever to bring it back round to where she wanted.  
  
"Now as I was saying. The thing I needed to talk to you about is that this summer, I have been, er, brewing a potion." Normally she would say what she wanted, but for some reason she found that when she was under her parents gaze, she forgot what she was going to say, and ended up stammering.  
  
"Well there must be something important if you feel you need to tell us about it." Said her mother, who didn't miss a beat. "It isn't illegal or anything is it?"  
  
"Yes, actually it is." Hermione responded in an innocent tone. It didn't do anything to make it seem alright to her parents, who suddenly seemed very worried.  
  
"Why would you do something like that? You will get expelled!" he father flustered as he grabbed Hermione's shoulders and gave her a small shake. As if to get some sense into her  
  
"It's ok. The ministry doesn't know about it and unless either of you tell them then they will never know. But yes, if you told them I would get expelled." She explained in a tone she hoped suggested the brewing of illegal potions was an every day occurrence.  
  
"They wouldn't send you to that Azcabin would they?" Her mother asked as her eyebrows furrowed in worry.  
  
"Well yeah I suppose they could do. But as long as they never know everything will be fine." Her parents exchanged looks that said they would let nothing on earth expel their little girl from school.  
  
"So what does this potion that you made do?" Michael asked uncertainly.  
  
"Well... It will turn me into a boy."  
  
There were several moments of silence that followed this statement, broken only by the sound of misses Granger hitting the floor. She had just passed out. She awoke a minute later in the kitchen with Hermione and her husband looking over her. It took several minutes as she racked her brains trying to comprehend why she was there. Eventually they offered some help. "You fainted." Michael said simply as he checked to see if she had bumped her head during the fall. She gave them a funny look before nodding her head to show that it sounded right.  
  
"Because I said I took a potion to turn me into a girl." Hermione finally added, because she was clearly not going to remember it on her own. Whilst she had not taken the potion yet, and it wouldn't even be finished until tonight, she felt that if they knew it was still sitting in her bedroom then they wouldn't allow it to stay there. They would probably wash it down the sink.  
  
"Why would you want to do that to yourself?" Michelle asked as she stared with teary eyes at her daughter. "Aren't you happy the way you are? If it is because you are confused about your emotions and that you find yourself thinking girls are pretty then it is perfectly normal. There was no need to do something drastic." She wept as she looked at down at her hands. Hermione never thought her parents would feel this strongly about it. She had guessed that perhaps shouting would be involved, but not fainting or tears. This was an event she hadn't prepared for.  
  
"No I'm fine the way I am, and no mum, I don't find girls attractive. Its just that the potion only lasts for a day and I thought it might be interesting..." she was cut off from continuing by her father who suddenly rounded on her.  
  
"Only a day? You're certain of that." He said with a hope of plea in his voice. Michelle looked up with a tiny smile and dried her tears a little.  
  
"Yes. I'm certain. It's just at the end of the year exam we will be tested on a potion and it can only be one of five so I thought I might as well get some practice, since this is one of the five. I really am fine the way I am, I don't want to be a boy. In fact I think I would probably hate it. I just wanted to see what it would be like for a day. I'm not funny in the head, you have to believe me. I was just a little curious, and if it helps my grades I'm sure you could understand."  
  
She looked at her parents in turn; casting each one of them a childish smile that she knew helped her get her ways. Her Parents each exchanged mystified glances. They weren't entirely convinced. In fact they would rather she never drank any potion if possible, but they knew that wouldn't be the case.  
  
"Well I guess I have always wondered what it would be like to have a son." Her father admitted with a shrug. Hermione inwardly lept for joy at her fathers approval. That is until she stopped for a moment, and gave a warning look at her Father.  
  
"Daddy?"  
  
"Oh yes of course I meant it was just mild curiosity. I wasn't suggesting I was displeased with the way you are. Your perfect in every way, and I'm pretty sure even if he did have loads more children they wouldn't be as good as you." He finished as he made sure there was no doubt in Hermione's mind that she was loved. She knew it of course, but having her parents tell her that was always nice.  
  
After a lengthy discussion about Hermione's grand plan in which her parents managed to stop worrying so much and her mother managed to dry her tears.  
  
"I still don't see why you had to do it now though." Her mother said as she started pulling out pots and pans ready for dinner. "Why couldn't you have waited till term had started?"  
  
"Because there would be no where at school for me to practice a potion that takes so long to make." Hermione replied as she rolled her eyes.  
  
"Yes but I'm sure you didn't have to do this so... Illegally! You never used to do things like this when you were younger. It is those Harry Potter and Ronald Measly boys isn't it? They are always getting into trouble. It's a bad influence on you.  
  
"Mum if you are going to tell me who to be friends with..." Hermione said as she stopped washing some vegetables and glared angrily at her mother.  
  
"No no no I'm not telling you to do anything. I was just saying my opinion."  
  
"Well you don't know either of them. They are both great and I would never stop being friends just because they lack the ability to draw the line of where trouble should end." She said rather more curtly than she had intended.  
  
"So if you have taken the potion already why is it you haven't changed?" Her father asked in the most conversational manner he could. "You, don't look different. Presumably you will be changing quite a bit, becoming taller and stuff?"  
  
"Yes I should imagine so." Hermione said as she faltered on the ground of letting on that she didn't know everything about it. She hastily continued talking before her parents could dwell on it. "Yes well these things take time to come into affect. According to the book it will happen once I go to sleep." She lied. "Also if you wouldn't mind doing me a favour that would be good. If possible I would like my hair cut. I don't really want to be a boy with my hair, or end up having to tie it up under a cap or something."  
  
"But we can't do that. Your hair wouldn't be able to grow back by the start of the school yeah and I can't imagine you would want to have it looking like a boys." Michelle said with a small laugh.  
  
"You needn't worry about that. I have also made a hair restoring potion so I can undo it just like that." She said as she flashed her mother a smile as she put some cauliflower into a saucepan.  
  
"Looks like she has put a lot of thought into this." Said Michael from the other side of the room where he had his head stuck in a cupboard. "What do you expect? This is Hermione!"  
  
After a very eventful dinner had passed by Hermione helped clean the dishes and then excused herself off to the room to prepare the equipment needed to measure twilight. Her parents had agreed that they would tell no one, and so did Hermione. She wouldn't even tell Harry or Ron. Well she could perhaps tell them in a few years time. Ron would probably find it hilarious.  
  
She pulled out a large black case from under her bed and carefully undid the several clips that held the items inside safe. She carefully lifted the lid, to reveal a set of delicately carved glass disks and rods. Each one cut to perfection, allowing the measurement of such precise things as a moon thousands of miles away. She removed what to the unlearned person would appear to be a pewter telescope. It did actually work like a telescope except the exact opposite way round. At allowed the moon to be pinpointed on a chart as a tiny circle of light. Even as she looked at it now she could see it was very slowly moving.  
  
She positioned the astrological chart on her floor, and used a compass to make sure it was at exactly the right angle to true north. Her mouth had gone dry even though there were still several long hours until that flash of a second in which it could be done. She pulled a pencil case out of her school bag which sat at the base of her bedside table. From within she extracted a dozen rulers and protractors as she started sketching marks and lines across the paper until half an hour later she had a very messy chart, and one tiny dot that marked where the moonlight would need to fall.  
  
Next she set about with the Chimera essence. It was a hard to acquire chemical and she actually had to venture into Knockturn alley to get it. She was glad that her parents were naïve as to the dangers involved because otherwise she wouldn't be sitting here now waiting for the potion. She had measured out the amount exactly to the drop. It was a strange clear substance that was odourless and colourless. It was lethal if taken not in a potion. The only way to distinguish it from water was that it was slightly thicker. It had a strange greasy silk texture to it. If it was knocked over on a desk it would probably spill for about a hundred or so meters, or a mile downhill.  
  
She sat for several long hours. In her room. Twice her parents checked up on her to see if she was ok. More than anything they were curious about whether the transformation was complete. Hermione spent her time by replying to the letter that Harry had written her earlier. Next she decided to go to bed. Because the moment of true twilight wouldn't come until about one o'clock it meant that she would be very tired in the morning. Therefore she would wake up late and would have wasted a lot of valuable time doing boy things. Therefore by sleeping now she wouldn't have to sleep as much later.  
  
She set her alarm to go off at half an hour intervals where she would wake up and quickly check to see how much further the dot of moonlight would have to go until it reached the pinpoint on the chart. On the seventh or so time she awoke and saw that it would only be about five minutes or so left until the big moment. It was dark outside her bedroom door and she couldn't hear any noise which meant her Parents had most likely gone to sleep.  
  
For a few anxious minutes she waited. Sweaty palmed, gripping firmly the vial of Chimera essence. She was knelt on the scratchy carpet, hand carefully poised over the simmering cauldron. She noticed that as she moved the vial closer to the cauldron, the Calmera essence inside started to swirl until it was dancing round inside the glass tube like boiling water. She turned her attention back to the chart where there were now only about five millimetres separating the two points. Less than a minute now. She drew out a large magnifying glass before lowering it and peering closely with one eye.  
  
Just four millimetres. With any luck the potion had been done correctly and everything would work. Three millimetres. According to the book if it works there should be a very definite indication. Two millimetres. Everything was balanced on the accuracy of her calculations. If the pencil had been to blunt the line wouldn't be accurate and she would get the wrong time. One millimetre. She didn't dare think of what would happen if the potion didn't work, as she begun to tilt the vial and said goodbye to her woman hood. Only a day. It would be back soon. And then it was there. The moon was on the dot and the vial was being emptied. Hermione looked away from the chart to the final ingredient which she was pouring. It was falling, cascading like a water fall. It seemed to move faster than gravity as it charged towards the mixture below. It lubricated the air on the way towards the simmering surface and Hermione cast a quick look up at the spectacularly full moon.  
  
Not in her life had she seen a moon like it. Normally a full moon was a full moon but this was nothing at all like all those others. Whilst she only saw it for a second it was like a still photo being implanted into her mind. The sky was cloudless and the stars were bright. Everything about the moon could be seen. The way that it was darker in some areas that it was in others. Like a distorted face looking down on her. The tiny ring of darkness that seemed to surround the luminous disk. She felt she could even see the point of the original moon landing.  
  
Then she returned to reality as the most silent of splashes was heard from in front of her. She looked down at the potion where a violent conflict seemed to be going on. With the shock waves spreading out from the centre a veil of darkness seemed to be pulled across it as it sunk from its bright colour into what appeared to be cool tar. This lasted only a second however as a second wave from the centre washed that away like the skin on custard. It was replaced by the most violent shade of yellow she had ever seen. Just looking at it seemed like staring at the sun itself, except that it was gentle on the eyes. The light that was washing over her and giving the room its sudden glow, made her feel happy inside from just looking at it. After several seconds however the colour began to fade. Like colours fades in the sun or paint washes away in the rain. She was rather surprised as a large bang erupted and caused a few drops to splash over the boundaries of the cauldron. Surely a noise like that would wake up her parents. A huge billow of smoke shot up into the air, before sinking back down to the ground where it hung like early morning mist. The potion was completed.  
  
Hope you enjoyed the Chapter. In the next one it will really start to get into things. Hermione takes the potion and things get going. This was just meant to be a few hundred word introduction but worked its way from there. 


	2. A New Man

Hermione stared at wonder of the creation in front of her. For a long month she had slaved away and now she had finally completed it. It was a divine beauty in its own sense. It seemed almost a shame to drink something that so much time and care had been devoted to. However the urge was too much. Hermione knew that she would end up drinking it sooner or later, and as she heard a thump from across the landing she realised it was about to be the former.  
  
Her parents were awake! If they walked in here and saw that potion they would undoubtedly take it away. Whilst they might have been accepting of her experiment, it was mainly due to the fact that they didn't have any other choice. There was only one real option. Hermione would have to drink it. Right here. Right now. The whole lot. She wasn't sure of the exact dosage she was meant to have. That had been an unimportant factor up until now. As she heard her parent's door creak open she frantically grabbed the potion and gave it one good long look. Suddenly she began to wonder why she had needed to brew so much. Surely she couldn't drink all this. She would have to try however, if she didn't want to get told off by her parents. With one last attempt to swat away the doubt in her mind she raised the Cauldron to her lips  
  
She opened her mouth and tilted her head back as the potion trickled down her throat. It certainly didn't taste nice, and yet at the same time it was pleasant in a completely different way. It tasted bitter. That was all it tasted of. Pure bitterness itself. The texture however was pleasant. It was cool in her mouth and yet as it reached her stomach it seemed warm like butter beer. It had a pleasantly oily feel and made her feel as if her whole mouth was being gently massaged by a team of thousands of tiny people. In a pleasant way of course.  
  
She swallowed as quickly as she good in a frantic attempt to empty the cauldron. Damn why did it have to be a size three... it must have contained at least a litre and a half. She could feel her stomach protesting as she continued to drink it. Only a bit left now at the bottom of the potion. She could see the reflection of the moon in the liquid, although now it seemed to have lost its brilliance it had earlier when she saw it. With one last desperate gulp she emptied the remainder and threw the cauldron aside, just in time to see her bedroom door swing open.  
  
Her parents were standing in the door way looking cautiously at her. They probably couldn't see much thought due to the fact it was so dark. All her thoughts though were suddenly snapped from this however, by something much more pressing. There was a dull pain in her stomach that quickly erupted into what felt like flaming daggers piercing her stomach and working its way up her through. She leapt up form her spot on the floor and charged towards the door where her parents were. They flicked on the light just in time to see a blur of Hermione charge towards them before she barged past them, down into the corridor where she locked herself into the bathroom.  
  
She threw her head over the toilet and as soon as she opened her mouth she started vomiting. She continued for several minutes, as eventually all she was throwing up was bile. As the burning sensation inside her body and mouth gradually faded all she was left with was the unpleasant after taste of bile. After she could vomit no more she was just sat there with her muscles convulsing, leaving a dull ache throughout her body. "I will have to whip up a quick numbing potion in the morning if the pain hasn't faded." She thought to herself. This wasn't the main thought on her mind. No where in the book did it say something like this would happen. It never said that you would vomit after taking the potion. In fact thinking about it she couldn't recall any potions where immediate vomiting were side effects. It left only one other solution and it wasn't pleasant. The Potion had gone wrong!  
  
Once she had gained control of her body and pulled herself to her feet she walked to the sink and washed out her mouth. The last thing she wanted to do at that moment was take another of those potions. If she had known it would be so nasty she would have seriously considered the worth of it. She was bought back to the real world by her parents knocking on the door asking worriedly if she was alright. "Just a second." She called to them as she flushed the toilet and pulled her hair back. Hermione slid open the lock and pulled open the door to find both her parents looking at her. There was a long silence in which no one talked. Hermione surveyed her parents who seemed to be surveying her back.  
  
"What?" She asked eventually. It was bad enough having people stare at you when they think you can't see them but to have your parents do it. "Well it's just that..." Her mother began to say as she tried to find the right words. In theory everything was so simple, and yet in real life it was the exact opposite. "Well it's just that you appear to be a boy." Michael said lamely as he examined his daughter thoughtfully. Suddenly an intricate system started winding in Hermione's head as pistons started sliding and cogs slipped into place where they started turning. Eventually her mind wound back into its usual fast pace.  
  
"One second." She said as she excitedly stepped back into the bathroom and closed the door. She took a few large steps until she came face to face with the wide mirror. She looked carefully at the reflection and what looked back wasn't what she expected. It wasn't that she was surprised to see a boy standing there. It was actually that the person looking back at her seemed to look a lot like she did all the time. She pushed her messy hair behind her ears and looked carefully at the face. Her nose actually touched the cold glass as she looked carefully. Her face was almost exactly the same as it was before. The only thing she seemed to be able to notice different was that her chin. Where before it had been a typical chin that belonged to her. Now she had a chin dimple that she recognised as belonging to people like Harry and Remus.  
  
Eventually Hermione couldn't resist her urges and looked down. For the first time in a few years she could see her feet without having to lean forwards. Her hands quickly went under her satin pyjama top and she felt her chest. Flat! Plain! Just as the potion said it would be. "I guess it did work as it should have done after all." She said to herself as she finally stopped stroking her muscular chest. There was just one more thing to check. She had read about them but actually having one yourself. Now this was something she never thought about when she was younger. She carefully reached down and stretched out the elastic of her pyjama bottoms.  
  
"Wow." Was all she could manage. So that is what one looked like. She had wondered for a long time. She had heard a few hushed discussions from some of the seventh year girls but she hadn't seen one before. Pavarti had bought in a naughty magazine once but Hermione wasn't the sort of girl to look at things like that. Hermione found herself wondering if all of them looked like that. It wasn't really important but if they were she felt she wouldn't be too disappointed in later life.  
  
A minute or so later the door slid open again and Hermione looked at her parents. "Yes I guess I am a boy." She said happily as she made to move past them and back to the bedroom. She was hoping to avoid a light night interrogation. As much as she was excited she had just been sick and it was the middle of the night, and few things seemed more enticing than the thought of going back to sleep. "Not quite yet young lady...man?" Michael said unsurely. "There are a few questions we have. For a start what was that loud bang? I don't remember you saying it would involve any explosions." Hermione stared at her father. Whilst he was highly educated in the matters that concerned muggles, he really didn't know anything about magic. This meant it would be very easy to lie to him.  
  
"Honestly daddy." She said in a voice which was very similar to her usual, although perhaps a little bit lower. It was tough to tell if it was because of the potion or the fact that she had a saw thought form throwing up so much. "Haven't you ever seen the films? You know one minute things are like something, then there is a puff of smoke and poof! It's changed." Her parents exchanged curiously suspicious glances. "That wasn't a poof! It sounded more like a cannon going off." Hermione rolled her eyes so as to appear exasperated. She had an unnatural talent for hiding what she was truly thinking.  
  
"Well I was asleep at the time. I didn't hear it so I can't tell you any differently. Anything else you want to ask?" "Yes actually. Why is it that you still seem so, Hermione like?" Her mother asked as she looked at Hermione, who was indeed the exact same height she normally was. "Honestly do I have to explain everything?" she said as she took the I'm- tired-of-explaining-things-to-you approach. "Well I suppose I only changed in the way that boys are. I guess being taller and stuff are just things that you only acquire form growing up as a boy. Anyway I am fine thanks so you needn't worry yourself. I will be going to bed now and I will be up early tomorrow morning so don't you to try and sleep late." She said. One of the rare pleasures she enjoyed was telling her parents what to do. Since she rarely did it, when she did they found that for some reason they didn't have the option to refuse.  
  
Hermione awoke the next morning at seven o'clock as her digital alarm clock rang the horrible ring which is known and hated by so many people. It didn't get a chance to go on for long however, as her arm swung over and pressed down the off button before it could beep for a second time. She sat up in her bed and rubbed her eyes. Today was the day. Finally here. As she tried to get herself out of bed however she had a near overpowering urge to slump back, close her eyes, and mutter something about just a few more minutes. "Must be a boy thing" She thought to herself as she quickly climbed out of bed. She walked over and threw the curtains open. Just as she the weather had predicted. Great sunshine.  
  
Just as she had hoped. Being heavy rain would hinder her plans somewhat. Her plans for the day consisted of going out. Going into town and buying a few things. Then with any luck she would go to the local swimming pool, followed by lunch and maybe doing a few other things if she thought of some during the day. Admittedly it would have been more fun to do these things with some friends, but there really was no one she could ask.  
  
"Hey Harry want to go swimming?" "Sure I would love to." "But I won't be going." "Oh?" "It will just be you and some random boy you have never met before." "Oh sorry, I just remembered I have to wash my hair today."  
  
Yes that is how it would go. Hermione couldn't ask him. Still she could perhaps meet up with a few of the guys from the local muggle school. Boys were like that weren't they? They sort of wafted together in an attempt that their combined intelligence would equal more than a piece of fruit.  
  
Hermione carefully discarded her clothes and stood admiring herself for a few minutes. It might be a few years before she saw something like that again. At least that is how she had hoped. She looked at the wardrobe where her boy clothes carefully hung on hangers, looking like a two dimensional person with no hands or a head. She started off by putting some socks on. She tried to select the manliest ones she had, but realised that all her socks were pink, frilly, flowery, or knee high school ones. Why hadn't she noticed something like this before?  
  
In the end she settled on a pair or white ones with not to many flowers on. They would have to do. Besides, her trousers were more than long enough. They would probably cover a fair bit of her battered trainers as well. There shouldn't really be any problem. She carefully pulled on her socks. In a way it was like a reverse strip tease, where being fully clothed was the desired effect. Next she took her white t shirt. She put her arms through it and then held them up so it slid down over her body. She had never been able to do that before!  
  
Next was the good bit. She gingerly reached out and touched the fabric of the chequered boxer shorts. It was rougher than what she was used to and yet in her opinion it wouldn't be the same if it wasn't. They had a button on the front as she wondered to herself for a moment why things wouldn't fall out of the gap. It would probably make more sense to have a zip she thought to herself. Not being a boy she didn't know that a zip could be very painful if things got in the way.  
  
Hermione carefully slid them on, holding them with the lightest touch as though they were made of crepe paper. Once she had pulled them up she stopped for a minute. "Dang this thing gets in the way." She said as she tried to find a correct place for it to go. "No wonder boys look uncomfortable all the time." She muttered to herself as she gave up and returned to the final item of clothing. The trousers. There was nothing amazing about putting these on. They seemed pretty similar to trousers she had won before, although it did take her several moments to master doing up the button since it was back-to- front.  
  
Once she was clothed she sat down on the bed for a moment and crossed her legs. That didn't work either. "I'm going to do myself a mischief if in not careful." She said as she shifted uncomfortable. She tried for a few minutes to find an acceptable sitting position. Crossed legs? Nope. Knees touching? Nope. Eventually she found the one. The special position that was comfortable. It had been tried and tested. Hermione just sat there with her legs slightly spread apart. "So there is a reason why they sit like this and not just because they are uncultured pigs." She mused in mild surprise.  
  
Quarter past seven. That seemed like a good time to be awake. In fact Hermione's parents would probably be angry if she let them sleep much longer. That's what she told her self. She walked out of her bedroom and sharply rapped on her parent's bedroom door. "Mum, Dad, Get up! It's late." She said as she leaned against the wall impatiently. She heard a loud groan and a minute later her father emerged looking groggily at her, rubbing his eyes. "I don't know what time you get up at school but this isn't late. It's an ungodly hour that is what it is."  
  
After a very tired debate Hermione found her self downstairs in the kitchen bouncing excitedly as her parents slowly thumped down the stairs. "Come on stop wasting my time. I wasn't to go early so I can make the most of my day." She said as though this were an obvious fact. Once they were standing in front of her Hermione directed them each in turn. "You, cut my hair." She demanded as she pointed at her hair. "You, make me food." She added as she rounded on her mother. "You will never get a boyfriend if you are like that." Michelle said tartly as she walked into the kitchen and took out some cereals. "You managed." Michael said quietly, although not quietly enough. A swift elbow in the ribs later and he was panting slightly in the lounge.  
  
"Just...Knocked...the...the... wind out of...me." He said as he went to get some hair cutting scissors and a chair. As Hermione sat down with an old shirt buttoned over her t shirt her father looked at her sceptically. "You sure you want me to cut your hair? What if the hair restoring potion doesn't work?" Hermione smiled. "The other potion worked fine." She said nonchalantly. "Yeah, I guess after something like that hair must be pretty east. Now how do you want your hair? Keep in mind I'm not a hairdresser. He said as he ran his fingers through her messy hair. "Well just something simple. Something boyish. She said calmly. After her father hesitated she said "Come on it can't be harder than fiddling with peoples teeth." At this thought he took a great hand full of hair and started cutting away.  
  
Ten minutes later Hermione was standing, looking in the mirror at the reflection. What looked back at her was alien. With hair and some baggy clothing she could pass for regular Hermione. Now however a transformation had taken place. Her father had made up some story about how he needed to cut it reasonably short so that it wouldn't look bushy like it normally did. In fact he probably just made a mistake and had to change the plan half way in between. Now she carefully reached her had to where it normally would have been. There was just air and it seemed strange. It made her shoulders seem much more prominent now that they weren't competing with a large amount of hair.  
  
She had a very rough spiky cut. Due to the lack of weight holding it down like usual, it now seemed to stick out in every direction. Whilst this was messy according to witch weekly, it was very fashionable. Hermione was almost certain her father wasn't aware of this fact. Unless of course he had been sneaking into her room late at night when she was asleep, and thumbing through her magazines in an attempt to position himself as a pinnacle of fashion. If that were the case then he had serious issues.  
  
"Looking trendy?" Michael asked hopefully. Hermione turned to him for a minute and handed him the shirt with hairs all over it. "Dad, you wouldn't know trendy if it came up and bit you, which considering your line of work is quite likely." "You can't speak to your father like that young man." Said her mother who had appeared behind her. "I will have you know back when we were in school your father was..." "No, there is no point in lying. I was always unfashionable." Michael sulked. "Now haven't you got some breakfast to eat or something?" He added in an attempt to change the conversation. "I have poured you some coco flavoured puffs of rice." Her mother said as she went back to the kitchen with Hermione following behind her.  
  
Hermione stepped out into the hot summer's morning. There was still a little dampness clinging to the air, but that would evaporate over the next half hour. She stretched out and let out a yawn as the sun shone in her eyes. It was about a miles walk into town so it would probably take her about twenty minutes. She set off with a backpack slung over her shoulder. Where normally it was full of books, now it contained a towl and some swim shorts. Nothing else. Just the towl and swim shorts. Not a bikini. Nope. Just shorts. Bare chests all the way!  
  
The town was quite old. It had been there for a couple of hundred years and had sort of developed a atmospheric mould. All the newer things were built by the high street where the old post office and haberdasheries had been. Now there were just a few newsagents and a toy shop. There was still one of those clothing shops for fat people, but nobody went in there. The clothes didn't fit thin people and the fat people were too embarrassed. If they went in it was like admitting they knew they were fat. Hermione made her way past this shop and over to a newsagents. She wanted some chocolate and she knew exactly what kind. She walked in a searched for a minute before finding what she wanted. She carried the forbidden item carefully in her hands as he made her way up to the counter were a man was sitting, cooking in the sun that was shining through the glass. She put the chocolate bar down and put on a falsely deep voice. "Yorkie please mate!"  
  
The man looked at her suspiciously for a minute. Hermione did her best to look manly, as if he would somehow look through and se her for what she really was. In the end he made his decision and punched in a few keys. "That'll be fourty-four p please. Hermione handed over the correct amount and Left a minute later, chocolate bar in hand, feeling very proud of herself. She wasn't really that hungry having only had breakfast half an hour ago, so she put it in her pocket for later.  
  
Next she went to the pharmacy. She needed to pick up a few things. Whilst wizards knew lots of things, hair care wasn't one of them. The muggle stuff was the best. She walked over to the left hand side of the store and scouted round for her favourite brand. Eventually she found it. It was called Divine Essences. She liked it because it smelled of cinnamon. It was a girl's shampoo.  
  
She looked round and picked up a few other things. As she approached the counter she noticed a boy that was probably about her age. Probably a summer job she thought to herself as she dropped all the stuff in front of him. He looked down at the items, then back up at Hermione. "You do realise this is girls stuff don't you?" He said as he eyed her up. Hermione blushed furiously as she realised it must look a bit weird. "Oh this stuff? Just picking it up for my girlfriend...You know?" She said eventually. That ought to be believable. Her father often bought stuff for her mother when he went out. What she didn't take into account was that she was sixteen and this wasn't typical behaviour.  
  
"Why can't she get it herself?" The boy asked as he frowned at her? Oh damn what shall I say? Think Hermione, think! Say something believable. Quickly, he is looking at you! "Oh she is, er naked." There was a very intense silence that followed this as Hermione Mentally slapped herself. Oh crap. Now you have gone and done it. You big spastic you would have been better off saying nothing. To late now. You can't just stand there. You're gonna have to say something! She thought with a slight panic. The boy just sat looking at her with his eyebrows raised. Eventually Hermione managed to say the only thing she could think of. "You know. I'm gonna be joining her when I get back." He continued to stare. Hermione was nearing the point of a mental breakdown as she dug herself deeper with every word. "Cooooooooooooooor SEX!"  
  
Just as Hermione was about to leave her stuff and run a smile spread across. "Yeah. I know what you mean." He said smugly. Hermione grinned to herself. How despicably yet relieving shallow. It seemed she had survived her first encounter with a boy. "You're not bad you know, for a shorty. How old you?" He asked. "Sixteen. Hermione responded. "Hey how come I haven't seen you round school then? You a drop out or something?" Hermione was insulted by the prospect of someone thinking that she, Hermione Granger was a drop out. "No I go to a boarding school. Damn parents. I hate them so much." She said as she said things until he smiled, which signalled she had said the right thing. "Yeah I know what you mean. Parents can be such a drag sometimes. So what school do you go to?" Again Hermione racked her brains. For some reason saying Hogwarts didn't seem right. Instead she said the only other thing she could think of. "St Brutus's Secure Centre For Incurably Criminal Boys."  
  
"Wow? Really? I have heard of that place before. Apparently it is the number one school for criminal boys. You need to be really bad to get sent there. What did you do?" He asked excitedly. Hermione racked her brains for something serious. She couldn't say she robbed a sweet shop or something, because by the sound of it this guy knew more than she did. "I um, set fire to an old lady." Did she take it too far? Was he about to tell her it was wrong and try and chuck her out of the shop? No. "Wow! Damn I wish you went to my school. My teacher could do with being set fire to. In fact he has such bad eyesight you could probably just sneak into class and do it and he wouldn't notice anything until he was half roasted."  
  
"What's your name? It isn't everyday I meet a guy as cool as you." Hermione stammered for a few moments. The thought of a name had never really crossed her mind. She said the first thing that sprung to mind. "Alex...Um..." she tried to think up a sir name and spotted some plasters on a shelf to her right. "Special duro technology means they are durable and weather tight." It said in bold font. "Weather...Light." She finished finally. "Alex Weatherlight." "Hey Alex. I'm Max Aytrara. I finish work at twelve. I'm going down the pool with some of my friends. You want to come along? I'm sure they would like to meet you." He said coolly as he extended his hand over the counter. Hermione shook his hand. "Actually I was gonna go down there anyway. So yeah I will probably be there, although I do need to get back to my girlfriend now. You know I wouldn't want to keep her waiting." She said as she attempted to end the conversation. It was going so well that she knew if she kept talking for long she was going to mess up." "Oh right sorry. I forgot about that. Still if you want..." he said as he now lowered his voice despite the fact that other than them the store was deserted. "I can introduce you to some girls later! Anyway here's your stuff." He said as he packed it into a bag before she had time to protest that she wasn't that kind of girl, guy. She handed him the money and made her way out.  
  
She emerged from the shop feeling thirsty. The shop had been very stuffy and as she hadn't realised how pleasant a breeze would be if there had been one. There wasn't. The air was still and as the sun was now high in the sky it was beaming down on her, and she regretted not having bought some suntan lotion. She couldn't have picked a better day really. She thought to herself. Normally she refused to go swimming because she felt very conscious of her body, but for some reason it was different as a guy. You could walk around without having half the population looking at you, or more accurately her chest. To be fair though there were some people who didn't do that. Harry and Ron didn't. Snape probably didn't even go that way, and she would have said Neville, but she had caught him looking once.  
  
It was about nine thirty now and so there were still a few hours before Max and his friends would go swimming. Hermione didn't want to go, spend her time on her own, and end up leaving as soon as the "cool kids" got there. She wished she had planned better as she stood in the street wondering what to do. In the end she decided that she would actually go home and drop off the things she had bought. There was no need to take them with her. Also it would burn up about an hour or so, and she has hungry. It was strange, being hungry at half past nine after having breakfast. "Must be a boy thing she said to herself as she set back off down the street." She reached into her pocket and took out the Yorkie bar which had unfortunately turned into a Yorkie flavoured wallet of molten chocolate in the heat.  
  
Half an hour later or so she walked into her house. Her parents were sitting in the back garden on deck chairs sunbathing! Sunbathing? In England?!?! They only noticed her when she walked over and cast a shadow over them. "What are you doing back so soon?" Asked Michael as he surveyed her over his sunglasses. "Is something wrong?" "No, nothings wrong. I just haven't got anything to do for a bit and I'm hungry." Hermione said as she plonked herself down on the grass, and in the process knocked over her father's glass of cider. Michelle looked up from a magazine she had been thumbing through at her daughter. She made some sort of noise that sounded like the word men, before looking back down.  
  
"Woops." Said Hermione as she held up the glass for her father to see. He looked at her with annoyance for a minute before that faded, to be replaced with something else. "Oh Hermione can't you look what your doing? Honestly girl. Come on indoors and I can get a new one." Hermione wasn't exactly sure why she was required to help him get a new drink but she followed anyway. They walked into the kitchen and Hermione opened the fridge to take out the bottle of cider which she passed to her father. Next she had a quick look at what they had to eat. Her parents were both dentists and as such the only food seemed to consist of things that came out of the ground.  
  
She reached forwards and was about to take out some lettuce when her fathers hand shot forward and grabbed her by the wrist. He lowered his hands and surveyed Hermione through his sunglasses. "It's time" he said "For me to tell you what I should have told you this morning, Hermione. Please sit down. I am going to tell you everything?" Hermione looked back at his with one eyebrow raised. "What?" Michael didn't reply, instead he walked over to a cupboard by the oven. Opened it and stuck his arm in. Then he leant forward a bit and his shoulder disappeared. With a disgruntled look his head followed. If someone had walked in at the moment it would appear that the cupboard had been magically charmed and was attempting to eat him. He emerged however, a minute later with something grasped in his hand. Hermione had to clasp her hands over her mouth to startle a little cry she would have let out. Cheesy Puffs! 


	3. Something Dirty

Sorry for the long wait. I have had exams and I will have a few more over the following month, so please bare with me. I will try my best.  
  
Thanks to all those who reviewed.  
  
"Why have you got cheesy puffs?" Hermione eventually managed to splutter out. The image of who her father was, was changing.  
  
"Well Hermione I had to tell someone, and since you're a boy it seemed like I could tell you. You mustn't tell your mother about this under any circumstance. Or the neighbours. They would be talking for weeks if news this big got out." Michael said as he opened the multi pack and thrust one of the smaller ones towards Hermione before she could protest.  
  
"But why would you keep something like this? Well you said yourself Hermione, you were hungry. How do you think I feel? Nearly everyday for the past seventeen years I have been hungry. Not being able to eat in between meals!" Without saying anything else he tore open the packet and literally began pouring them into his mouth as though he were some kind of wild beast.  
  
After anxiously watching for a minute Hermione opened her own pack and stared down at the contents. It shone under the kitchen light and the foil packet gave of a glow that made then appear to have a heavenly appearance. Pretty soon she was in a similar compromising position to her father. Once they had finished Hermione looked at her father's sinful face which had cheesy flavouring all over it.  
  
"Well that was cool..." Hermione began to say but her father cut her off.  
  
"It's not over yet!" with this he returned back to the cupboard and put back the remaining crisps, and returned with something far more wicked.  
  
"You pig!" Hermione said as she barely controlled her anger. Her father looked guiltily, as he stood there with a pot noodle in each hand.  
  
"Yes, I suppose I am Hermione, but trust me they are something else. You have to have one." Michael said as he flipped on the kettle and rubbed his hands in excitement.  
  
"But why would you want something like that? I wouldn't be surprised if mum left you for having one of those." Hermione said, although secretly she was starting to get excited by the idea. Excited in the same sense that being a boy was forbidden, and yet something everyone has to try.  
  
"Well I don't know really. It's just that I'm sick of those bloody sandwiches. I needed something dirty!!!" he said as he ripped the tops off the pots. The kettle was starting to boil and Hermione was getting anxious. Although it was a sin to eat one, it wouldn't result in expulsion from Hogwarts would it? She hoped not.  
  
Her father lifted the kettle of its stand and carefully poured out the correct amount of water. He gave each one a quick stir before sliding one across the table to Hermione. She reached out with a shaking hand to take one. "Get a grip Hermione. It's just food." She thought to herself as she tried to calm her mind. "Yeah only dirty filthy bad boy food!" it screamed back at her. She took her hand back a little and looked up at her father. He wad a spoon positioned between the pot and himself, which were only an inch at most apart. He was moving the spoon backwards and forwards between the two with skilful handmanship, so that the food was more of a continuous flow. Hermione found herself wondering how he had acquired such a skill. She obviously wasn't his first.  
  
Michael sat as he tilted his head back and ate like a wild man. It certainly wasn't a site for children. Hermione never even expected her husband, when she had one to do naughty things like this, but her own father right in front of her...it was unbelievable. Hermione was about to indulge in her own pot noodle when she heard a sound from the hallway. She turned round just in time to see her mother walk into the kitchen. She stopped in her tracks ad stared at her husband, sit greedily eating, completely unaware of the intrusion. She then turned to Hermione who hastily slid the pot noodle away from herself, and did her best to look highly disgruntled.  
  
Her mother dropped the glass that was in her hand and it gave a loud shatter on the floor. Michael lowered his pot and stared at the source of noise. His eyes slowly widened until his face was a picture of panic ad horror.  
  
"I can explain. It's not what it looks like!" he said, although the traces of noodles and the mess on t-shirt suggested otherwise.  
  
"What the hell do you think your doing? How long has it been going on? Have you done it before?" she asked irately as she strode across the kitchen and plastered a hard slap across his face.  
  
"No this was my first. You know I love you. I wouldn't lie to you!" Michael pleaded as he rubbed his cheek.  
  
"No, you wouldn't lie to me yet you would cheat on me for that!"  
  
"What?" he asked as he got up from his seat and tried to take Michelle's hands in his. She angrily pushed him away.  
  
"You heard what I say. You were willing to risk our marriage for one wild fling with a pot noodle. I'm just sorry that Hermione had to witness this." Hermione, who up until this point had been a spectator, suddenly realised that she was involved. Her mother had just caught her committing one of the seven deadly sins. Thou shalt not partake of the noodles of pot.  
  
"It wasn't my fault mum." Hermione said hopefully as she pulled the forgiving look that all children are highly familiar with. Her mother looked back at her, and the still uneaten pot of noodles. Hermione gave her father a sorry look and then burst into fake tears.  
  
"He made me do it! I didn't want to but he kept telling me to try it and that he would be angry if he didn't. He kept saying things like it was all right if it was my first time because it wouldn't be naughty. I didn't want to but he just kept pushing me."  
  
Michelle angrily rounded back on her husband.  
  
"Have you no decency man? She is only a child for Christ sake!"  
  
"But she wanted it she didn't say no once. She practically encouraged me." He begged as he tried to worm his way out of trouble.  
  
"Don't you dare blame this on Hermione. This is your daughter were talking about and you would try and shift the blame for such a sinful crime as this on her." She yelled shrilly. Hermione risked a glance up from her arms where she had been pretending to cry. Her mother was standing in front of her, and her father was backed against the wall, like a cornered animal.  
  
"You can sleep outside tonight because until you can make it up I don't want to be sharing a room with a man like you." Michelle yelled as she turned her back on him in disgust. "Careless regard for your teeth as well. Not to mention you will ruin your appetite for lunch."  
  
"No it's ok to eat food providing you brush your teeth gently yet thoroughly within forty minutes of consumption." Michael said as though quoting a textbook.  
  
"Don't give me facts and figures! I won't make it all right. Since you have already eaten I don't think you will have any need for lunch.  
  
A few minutes after the raging noodle argument had subsided Hermione found herself lying out sun bathing, topless. Topless! "You see that top over there. I'm not wearing it!" Hermione thought to herself as she looked down at her discarded t-shirt. She reached over and took a drink form a pineapple smoothie her mother had made (sugar free). It seemed that since her father had put her through such a terrible ordeal her mother felt it had to be made up to her. Hermione had made sure she snuck off for a few minutes and thoroughly brushed her teeth. The last thing she needed was for it o come out that she had eaten cheesy puffs. The feel of the gentle wind blowing across her chest was something Hermione marveled at. Guys really did have an easy life.  
  
An hour an a half later after being pampered by her caring mother it was about half past eleven. The swimming pool was the same distance away as the high street, but in a slightly different direction. This meant that if she wanted to get there on time she should leave about now. Hermione pulled on her t shirt and socks and shoes. She got some suntan lotion and the magazine and threw it into her backpack with her towel and swimming trunks. Trunks!  
  
"I'm going to the swimming pool now mum ok?" she said as she stopped by the kitchen where her mother was sitting reading the newspaper and drinking some coffee.  
  
"Don't you want to stay for lunch?" Her mother asked as she put that paper down and got up from the table.  
  
"No I have arranged to meet a few friends so I need to go now." Hermione said with a smile. Her mother frowned for a minute.  
  
"You don't have friends that live round here do you? And wouldn't they perhaps find it a bit strange that you were a boy?" she asked suspiciously.  
  
"No it isn't anyone from school or anything. Just some people I met in town this morning." Hermione answered truthfully.  
  
"Ok well let me give you some money so you can buy something to eat." Michelle said as she went to her handbag and rummaged round for her purse. "Oh and one more thing dear." She said as she didn't meet Hermione's eyes and handed her a five pound note.  
  
"Yes?" Hermione asked as she pocketed the money.  
  
"Don't try and take advantage of any girls." At this statmenet Hermione spluttered in disbelief.  
  
"Mum!" She said angrily. Didn't her parents know her at all?  
  
"I'm just saying honey. No need to be angry."  
  
"What do you take me for?" Hermione asked as she stood staring at her mother, who busied herself with other things.  
  
"You're a teenager who is confused over her emotions." Michelle replied bluntly.  
  
Hermione after a moments thought decided that a conversation like this would be pointless. She wasn't going to convince them and seeing it from there point of view it must have been very strange. She could only imagine of some of the things she would think if Ron tried to turn himself into a girl. Besides, if she stayed here and argued then she would be late for swimming. She knew boys weren't much for punctuality but she had to warm up first to avoid getting cramp while swimming. It was a very real danger that people didn't seem to appreciate. Every year over one persons died from it! That would take a few minutes if she wanted to be safe while swimming.  
  
Hermione walked out of the front door leaving her mistaken mother behind. By tonight everything would be back to normal, and with any luck she would stop treating Hermione like some kind of sex fiend! Half an hour later Hermione arrived outside the swimming pool. It wasn't luxurious by any means. It was only small and had one diving board and no slides. Hermione had been several times when she was a young girl, before she went to Hogwarts. It was however conveniently close to the local school and the sort of place that everyone would go to on a hot summer's day. The water was relatively clean and that generally helped.  
  
Hermione walked into the changing rooms and was surprised to find that it was not actually not much different from the girls, which she had nearly walked into. The only real difference was the fact that it didn't permanently occupy a team of gossiping teenagers. In fact it was completely empty, which Hermione was thankful for, and at the same time slightly disappointed. She put her bag down on one of the benches and began to undress. She carefully folded each item of clothing and slid it into her bag. By the time she was finished and suited up for some swimming her bag was full of a pile of clothes neat enough to make an army sergeant blush. She walked over to one of the lockers and put in a fifty pence piece. It wasn't that she had anything valuable, but it was just that to they held significant personal value. Her day as a boy... The day she would probably look back on when she was older and think of with fondness.  
  
Hermione was about to stroll out of the changing room when she stopped in front of a mirror. A question struck her mind. How should a boy stand? Was there a particular way they had to behave around swimming pools? She had heard of how some of them acted... but was that a rule? One thing was for certain, and that was that she should breathe in. It wasn't like her boy body was fat in anyway, it was just what all guys did. They might say that they worked out and things but at the end of the day their stomach would still stick out. They would breathe in when a girl was looking, but when they got into the water they would let their breath out. Hermione had seen the stomachs wobbling like lava lamps as skin floated in the water. The girls pretended not to know this and the guys pretended that they were thinner than they really were. It all worked out.  
  
Once Hermione was confident that she had done every obvious thing in the way that a boy would, she strode out of the changing room and into the bright midday sunlight that immediately washed over her skin with warmth so intense for a few brief moments it was unpleasant. The summer air, thought still had just enough movement to keep the air fresh and cool. It carried with it the distant smell of cut grass, and slightly baked smell of dirt so dry it was cracked on the ground.  
  
There was to detectable taint of chlorine and chemicals which were used in swimming pools and it made Hermione feel free in a strange sense. Never before had she felt that way, but standing here as she closed her eyes with the sun pouring down upon her, it was possible to shed all thoughts as to what would happen when she got back to school and having to do her homework, that she had in fact already done. It was possible to forget about lord Voldemort and what he might do, because standing here surrounded by the laughs of children and people having fun, it was hard to imagine anything bad happening.  
  
Flashes of the sun bounced in her eyes as it reflected on the surface of the water and shot off in various directions, depending on the movement of water, disrupted by other people's movement. The hole atmosphere, so natural and yet so alien to her was overwhelming and Hermione began to feel a little nauseous until she heard someone call her name from a distance. Or at least a name she said was her own.  
  
"Alex, Hey Alex, over here!" She heard a boy yell as he came running along the side of the pool from the other end. Hermione smiled to herself as he was cautioned by one of the life guards. Max finally after a brisk walk came to where she was standing.  
  
"Hi." Hermione said as she shielded her eyes from the sun. Max gave her a look as he squinted, although he had his back to the sun and the pool and so could see much better.  
  
"Yes I know I can't believe how sunny it is." He said as cast a look around him. "Give it half an hour and this place will be packed." Hermione's eyes had started to water a little from the intense brightness and she found herself staring down at the ground, where she became rather aware of her abnormally small boy feet. Still, being only the size of a normal girl hopefully no one would notice.  
  
"I should have bought my sun glasses." She said as she wiped away a bead of sweat from her forehead which had been threatening to run into her eyes. Max thought for a moment and then eyed Hermione up carefully. She was afraid that she must have done something to give herself away, and so she stuck her pelvis further forward.  
  
"You know I have some tinted swimming goggles, I bet they would help. I used to wear them but they are a bit small for me now. You have a small head though and they should fit you good. You can wear them if you like."  
  
"That would be lovely." Hermione said as she forgot herself for a moment. Max didn't say anything but gave her a slightly strange look.  
  
"Er yeah they try and make me say stuff like that at St Brutus', you know how it is. They hit you with a crowbar if you say things like um, fanbloodytastic!"  
  
"Wow, they really use a crowbar?" That must be nasty." He said as he winced at the thought of it.  
  
"Yes." Hermione said awkwardly. It was difficult to lie for her. "It's painful to speak of it." She said in a hope that he wouldn't pursue the subject.  
  
"Oh right year sure. If you don't want to talk about it, then its ok with me man. Now come on. I'm baking over here. I can introduce you to the others." Hermione, thankful for the change of subject, merely nodded and followed behind him. Hermione found herself standing at the deep end of the pool, looking down at four other people, three girls and one boy. Including Max and herself there were six of them.  
  
"Hey guys, this is Alex that I was telling you about. He set an old lady on fire!" Max said as though this was justification of introducing her to his friends. There was a collective "wow" as they all stared up at him in awe. Hermione was considering if she should get into the water or wait to be invited in. She had a third option made clear to her however as she felt the firm hand of Max shove her into the water. She tumbled forward and narrowly avoided hitting a fat man with her arm.  
  
She spluttered as she surfaced and rubbed the water out of her eyes the best she could. She coughed a bit as she had swallowed a little bit of a water. Hermione tossed her head back to get the wet hair out of her eyes, but then realized she no longer had long hair, and so didn't need to. The group of people were all laughing, and Hermione managed a feeble laugh just to fit in. At least the water was nice and cool, whilst not being cold. Max for some reason opted for a much more stylish entry which basically of him sitting on the edge of the pool before plopping into the water. He eventually came to float and then moved over a little to Hermione.  
  
"Anyway I still need to introduce them to you." He said as he pointed to the other four people. He said several names very quickly and several other things that she didn't manage to pick up despite being highly trained in the art of listening to teachers. Instead she was slightly distracted by the looks she was receiving from one of the girls.  
  
Hermione couldn't be sure but what was left of her female intuition, which was most of it, was suggesting there was something more to this look than just observation. If she had to say a word she would reluctantly admit that lust was it. The girl was tough to make out due to the fact that all but her shoulders and head were submerged under water. Her hair was probably quite straight because it clung to her head when wet. It was also a shade of blonde, although again the water was probably making it appear darker. Through the rippling water she could make out that she had a trim body and obviously watched what she ate, but then again most girls did these days.  
  
"So Let's play chicken or something shall we?" asked the boy who Hermione didn't know. For some reason she had a feeling that he was called will or bill or something. Therefore whenever Hermione spoke to him she usually just said "oy", or said the first part quietly so that it would sound like she did know his name.  
  
"What's chicken?" Hermione asked unsurely. She hoped it wasn't anything like the game chicken that involved standing in front of traffic.  
  
"Well basically you split into three groups of two, a boy and a girl. The girl has to sit on the boy's shoulders and then you just run round and try and push the other groups over." Max said as he walked over to the nearest girl and pulled her towards him, clearly claming her as his fight partner. Hermione looked nervously. She was shorter than all the other boys, and in fact only about the size of one of the girls. Surely she would be at a disadvantage.  
  
She had a sinking feeling as no one moved to pick her that it would be like physical education from when she was younger. The horribly degrading task of being picked by the team captains. Of course there were a few boys with exceptional talent that always got picked first. Hermione for some reason didn't posses much skill with what she liked to call a pig sport. She was always the child left at the end as the other group finally decided they would have smelly shelly, the one eyed girl instead.  
  
However a smile spread across her face when the girl that had her eye on Hermione made to walk towards her. In an attempt to make conversation Hermione fumbled for a minute. What did girls like to talk about? Well, she talked about homework. That seemed normal enough for her, but for some reason Harry and Ron always walked away when she did that, and some of the girls in her dormitory through pillows at her. She knew what Pavarti and Lavender discussed, but she certainly didn't feel comfortable talking about that sort of thing.  
  
"Sorry I didn't catch your name." Hermione said politely as nothing came to her.  
  
The girl looked at her and gave a buttery smile.  
  
"Me? My name is Rachael." She said in a pleasant, yet smooth oily voice. "So have you lived in town long?" Before Hermione could stop her self she had already answered.  
  
"All my life." Rachael gave this some thought before asking what Hermione had anticipated. "So where did you go before St Brutus' because I'm pretty sure I would remember someone like you."  
  
"Well I used to be home tutored. The schools wouldn't accept me because I was badly behaved." Hermione said as she tried to act as though this was a cool thing, although actually she hated the idea. Why would anybody be that badly behaved?  
  
Rachael just gave a silent nod, before reaching over and taking Hermione's shoulder.  
  
"Crouch down a bit." She instructed to Hermione, who obliged.  
  
"Why are you doing that?" Hermione suddenly asked in shock.  
  
"Well I need to get onto your shoulders somehow don't I silly." Hermione mouthed silently for several seconds.  
  
"I can understand that, I was just wondering why you needed to put your hand down my trunks!" she hissed. Rachael stared into Hermione's eyes for a moment. Before opening her mouth widely.  
  
"Oh sorry I didn't realise I was." She said rather falsely. As she removed her hand and climbed up onto Hermione's shoulders.  
  
"Participating in sports activity was a tough enough activity for Hermione. She had never been very good at it, but trying to do sports whilst having some sort of sex pervert on your shoulders was damn near impossible. Hermione just decided that if she just focused on the game then Rachael wouldn't do anything. Or at least that is what she hoped. Truth be told Hermione was entirely stumped as to why a girl would do such a thing as put her hands down her shorts. She hadn't given any signal that she wanted it, and it was just plain wrong. She didn't go doing that to Harry and Ron!  
  
The games finally ended about half an hour later and Hermione had to admit it was exhausting. She had always imagined girls being light but after having one on your shoulders for half an hour you began to think differently. It wasn't that any of them had said they were bored or exhausted, but the presence of a snappy old lifeguard. He seemed to think that anything other than swimming in the pool was just something to laugh at. Not only had he disbanded their game of chicken, he also spent several minutes asking them why they were having difficulty swimming, and why they just kept floating on the spot.  
  
"And why do your eyes keep rolling at me? It's calcium deficiency I expect. If you pass out don't expect me to save you. I warned you but to you listen..." He moaned until he heard the sound of someone walking to fast down the other end and slowly plodded off to teach them a lesson in pool side safety  
  
"So what we gonna do now?" Asked the third boy, who seemed to have gone rather pink over the last half an hour. His chicken partner probably just had a strong grip and cut off the circulation to his head.  
  
"Well it is getting a little busy so I think we should have some lunch now, and I can just lounge around in the sun for a while." Said one of the girls as she slowly swam on her back towards the edge of the pool, as if she didn't have a care in the world. Hermione couldn't see how an awkward situation could arise from this so after a moment she agreed to it and hastily swum away from Rachael and to the edge of the pool where she pulled herself out with boy strength she wasn't familiar with.  
  
The swimming pool, being located in a reasonably small town and on the outskirts meant that it hadn't been squashed into the area of an old chip shop, and thus had plenty of space. At one end of the pool were just some life guards and pool safety notices, while at the other end there was a large stretch of grass that finally ended when the two high brick walls finally met up in a peak. There were a few medium sized trees that hung over casting large spots of shadow here and there. The grass was thick and yet soft like expensive grass, the kind of grass that the queen might like if she played football. There were a dozen or so people scattered around the grass, with most of them being towards the edge. There was a man and a woman a few years older than Hermione who were playing a ball game in the large middle space which no one seemed interested in using.  
  
"So where are we sitting?" Hermione asked once the other people had gotten out of the pool. Max shook some water out of his head which landed on Hermione who hadn't until then realized how dry the sun had made her in the short time. She would probably have to put some more suntan lotion on in a while. It was meant to be water resistant but Hermione questioned the integrity of the bottle.  
  
"Yeah we're over here." Said Max as he made his way towards some towels over by the left hand side. They were laid out so that they were next to the shade. Probably in fact there had been a variety of shade and sun to suit everyone's wants, but as the sun moved through the sky so did the shaded areas. Everyone plonked themselves down onto some towels as they moved asides a couple of bags and a football. Hermione was about to sit down on her towel when it occurred to her that it was still inside her bag back in the changing rooms.  
  
"Oh bum. I'm just going to go and get my towel." Hermione said as she turned to walk back towards the changing rooms but found herself not moving. She looked round and realized it was because Rachael was pulling her back.  
  
"Don't worry. You can use my towel. I will just lay on the grass. I enjoy the feel of it on my smooth soft skin. It is very soft. Go on, feel it!" she said as she took Hermione's hand and made have Hermione stroke her arm.  
  
"Oh right yes, thanks! Hermione said as she very hurriedly pulled out of the grip and walked over to the only vacant towel where she looked at the ground hoping no one would notice her blush a deep crimson. She cursed to her self. Out of all the things she did when she was a boy why did she have to bump into some sort of girl obsessed with sex. She had enough of that sort of thing at school. Maybe, she thought to herself, some things were the same for boys and girls. She dwelled on this for a moment and considered that Pavarti and Lavender both exuded pervert like qualities. The Gryffindor boys, or at least the non desperate ones, dealt with them by never making eye contact and moving round a lot. Hermione decided that perhaps she should employ a similar technique.  
  
Half an hour passed where everyone talked a bit about where they grew up. Hermione listened intently. It would undoubtedly prove invaluable to her muggle studies essay. "Muggle Children And What They Do When They Aren't Playing Hopscotch" (wizard had a very distorted image of child behavior).  
  
"So how about you Alex, what to you do when you aren't being beaten by teachers and when you aren't stealing and stuff?" Asked a girl who Hermione had managed to pick up from conversation was called Katie. She seemed a bit more reserved than Rachael who was applying a fourth serving of suntan lotion to Hermione's back since she had laid down.  
  
Hermione was a little caught off guard by this question, having spent up until now just nodding and making "mmm yes" sounds.  
  
"Well I don't do much. I guess when im not stealing stuff..." She began to say.  
  
"Or burning old ladies." Max interrupted.  
  
"Yeah," she continued. "When I'm not doing that I do my homework." There was a long stretch of silence from the group as it occurred to Hermione that she said something she shouldn't have. The ruthless criminal Alex Weatherlight most certainly didn't do homework. 


End file.
